The effect of occupational socialization on nurses' patient handling practices

Back injury is widely considered an occupational hazard of nursing work. Manual handling of patients has been implicated in the development of back injury in nursing. Legislation has been in place in the UK since 1992 that should have addressed factors implicated in the development of back injury, such as manual handling of patients. Nurses' patient handling practices have been slow to change in line with this legislation. This can be explained in part by a lack of training and resources required for change. However, nurses' attitudes and beliefs about patient handling, and the culture into which new nurses are socialized, may play a significant role in hindering changes in patient handling practice.